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Recipes for Homemade Gift Items
Home » Kitchen » Gifts from the Kitchen » Recipes for Homemade Gift ItemsHere are some recipes I have enjoyed receiving or making that you might like to try.
M&M Cookies in a Jar
I received this recipe at a cookie swap a few years ago. Not only is it attractive, but the cookies are also delicious as well. What I love most about this recipe is that you can use different color M&Ms for the occasion. Here are some examples:
• Use red and green for Christmas
• Use pastel for Easter or new baby
• Use orange and brown for Halloween/Thanksgiving
• Or better yet, you can go to www.mymms.com and custom order M&Ms - you can put your own special message on one side and choose from 21 custom colors. You can order white for a wedding, pink for Valentine's Day, or pick your favorite team's colors. How personal is that?
Assembling M&M Cookies in a Jar
Ingredients:
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• M&Ms
Layer the ingredients in a quart size canning jar in the order listed. You can use a small funnel for most of the ingredients. Use enough M&Ms so the jar is full to the top. You can use regular M&Ms or the mini M&Ms made for baking. Pack down all ingredients, particularly the brown sugar.
Print the following instructions (either write them on a nice gift tag or type them up and cut it out) and attach it to the M&M Cookies in a Jar so that the recipient will know what to do when they get home.
M&M Cookies
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
Empty contents of jar into a large bowl; thoroughly blend mix. Using your hands, mix in the butter until well blended. Beat together the egg and vanilla and then add it to the batter. Your dough will be a little crumbly. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes until edges are lightly browned.
Candy Cane Bark
I received this gift one year from one of my sweet neighbors. She and her three girls make this together every year for their neighbors and family. It's easy and delicious!
Ingredients:
• 12 large candy canes
• 2 pounds white chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil
Directions:
Line an extra large baking sheet with parchment; set aside. With a chef's knife or meat pounder, cut or smash candy canes into 1/4" pieces. In the top of a double boiler, melt white chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat as soon as the chocolate is melted. Stir candy cane and peppermint oil into the chocolate. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet; spread evenly. Refrigerate until firm, 25 to 30 minutes. Break into pieces. Put into gift containers or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
White Trash Candy
I also received this from a neighbor for Christmas one year. I think this is great delivered in small white trash bag tied up with beautiful ribbon with tag attached with name of candy on it. Or you can purchase a gift container that looks like a trash can at....
Ingredients:
• 3 cups Rice Chex
• 3 cups Wheat Chex
• 3 cups Cheerios
• 2 cups peanuts
• 1 can mixed nuts
• 3 cups raisins
• 2 cups pretzels
• 1 ½ lbs. almond bark
Directions:
Melt almond bark over double boiler (or 2 minutes in the microwave). DO NOT OVERCOOK. Stir frequently while melting. Immediately pour over mix, coating thoroughly. Spread out on wax paper. When cool, break into small pieces. Store in airtight container.
Doggy Biscuits in a Jar (for doggies)
It seems that everyone is going dog crazy these days. Everywhere you look there are pet pampering stores and services. If you know someone who has a special dog in their life, Why not make their favorite doggy a special gift? People love to receive gifts for their dogs too!
Ingredients:
• 1 quart wide-mouth canning jar
• 1 dog biscuit cookie cutter
• 16 inches pretty ribbon
• 1 large envelope, with a hole punched in the upper left hand corner
• 1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup instant nonfat dry milk powder
• 1 teaspoon brown or granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of salt
In a medium mixing bowl, combine: the flours, cornmeal, milk powder, sugar, garlic powder and salt. Using a funnel, pour dry ingredients into the jar. Close jar tightly. Tie dog biscuit cookie cutter and instruction card around the top of the card with a pretty ribbon.
Type the following instructions on a pretty piece of paper or card and tuck inside the envelope.
To Make Doggy Biscuits
Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat it to 250 degrees.
Place Doggy Biscuits mix ingredients in a medium size bowl. Add 1 large egg, 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/4 to 1/2 cup (or more) hot chicken broth, beef broth or very hot water. Make a dough that is very heavy, but not sticky. Add more flour or water, 1 teaspoon at a time if dough is too moist (use flour) or too dry (use hot water). Turn out dough onto a floured pastry cloth and knead 8 to 10 times until elastic. Let dough rest for 5 minutes.
Roll out dough 1/2 of an inch thick and cut with a dog-bone shaped cutter. Place cookies close together as they will not spread. Bake for 1 hour.
Rotate the baking trays in the oven (turn tray around 180 degrees), and bake them another half hour. Cool the cookies in the pan for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire cake rack to cool completely.
Sources:
www.cooks.com
www.cdkitchen.com
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu
www.familycrafts.about.com
www.recipegoldmine.com
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